AUSTIN, Texas – MASON COURTNEY scored 11 points over the final eight minutes, and St. Edward's men's basketball clinched a spot in the Lone Star Conference Tournament with an 80-73 victory over St. Mary's in the Battle of the Saints. 
 
Connor McManus hit 4-for-5 from the 3-point line and led four starters in double figures with 18 points, and GAVINO RAMOS scored 15 points with a game-high six assists, four rebounds, and three steals in his final game on the Hilltop and the penultimate game of the regular season. 
 
Ramos was the catalyst several minutes into the first half, keying a 16-4 run from the 16-minute mark to the midway point of the half with eight points, starting the run with a stepback jumper and punctuating it with back-to-back 3-pointers to take a 26-17 lead. 
 
St. Edward's went cold shortly after, closing the half on a 4-for-13 shooting slide and allowing St. Mary's to finish the half on a 14-9 run, ending with Josh Reid's 3-pointer with a minute remaining to cut the Hilltopper lead to 35-31 at the break. 
 
McManus led all scorers with 10 points at the half, hitting two 3-pointers and shooting 4-for-7 overall. Ramos and JAMISON KAY added eight points each, with Kay contributing three assists and two steals. St. Mary's outscored St. Edward's 12-5 in bench points, led by Eddie McPhee's six points on four shots. 
 
St. Mary's opened the second half on a 10-4 run, shooting 3-for-3 from the field, hitting two 3-pointers and two free throws to take a 41-39 lead. 
 
The Hilltoppers responded with a 7-0 run. Ramos found Kay for a 3-pointer, and LATIEK BRISCOE hit back-to-back driving layups to give St. Edward's a four-point lead it would never relinquish. 
 
Lachlan Bofinger and Damani Claxton kept the Rattlers within striking range, scoring 14 and 13 second-half points on a combined 8-for-12 shooting. However, Courtney responded with 14 second-half points, including 11 in the final eight minutes, draining all four 3-point attempts. 
 
Courtney scored 16 points and grabbed six rebounds, Kay added 13 points and five assists, and LEWIS ROWE and Briscoe scored nine each. St. Edward's improves to 19-11 with a 12-8 conference record and will close the regular season on Saturday against St. Mary's before participating in the Lone Star Conference Tournament.